My Favorite Mistake
by Silent Angel of Time
Summary: Robby and Lucy have made a mistake, how are they going to fix it? Finished.
1. Authors Note

I don't know what happened to this story. But because the internet is dead, for an unknown reason I have had to copy my stories on a disk and upload them from my mother's computer, so somewhere along there part of my story turned up missing so I am going to upload the whole story instead of waiting and hopefully I will get the whole thing! 


	2. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

OK I changed a few things because it's my story:  
1. Matt is a pediatric oncologist, if you don't know what that is you will learn later in the story.  
2. After seeing this weeks episode of 7th Heaven 2/25/02 and this story was started before this Sara is now in it, but before Matt's wife's name was Stacey and she was a teacher so if something's seem kind of off that's why.  
3. Also as for ages I may be a bit off, especially with Matt and Sara not going off to Columbia like they should. So please bear with me, I wasn't even thinking.  
  
  
Lucy sat up in bed and looked down on Robby just as he was waking. "Lucy I…" Robby muttered blushing slightly.  
"Robby believe me I know what we did was stupid." Lucy exclaimed. "I mean God you and Joy are engaged, you love her she loves you it was stupid. This is the biggest mistake either one of us has made." Lucy jumped up pulling her robe on.  
"Do you think?" Lucy mistook Robby's hurt for sarcasm.  
"Thanks Robby that's a wake up call. You need to go. Everyone is going to be back from that over night retreat soon. God I don't even want to think what they will say if they found out. I mean with you and Mary's history and everything…Oh my God they…You have to get out…" Lucy said pushing Robby out of bed. Robby made his way out of Lucy's room with Lucy right behind him, as Robby walked into his room he heard the bathroom door open and slam shut.  
Lucy let the hot water run over her body. God she didn't understand how this had happened, she and Robby had been arguing after she had gotten back from a date the night before. The guy had been a jerk, Lucy knew it, and Robby was trying to warn her. But more than Lucy wanted to admit she was hurt when Robby told her about his engagement to Joy. Things had just happened as much as Lucy hated to admit it.   
  
"Lucy are you feeling all right you have been picking at your food all evening." Annie pointed out at dinner that same night.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a bad night last night." Lucy sighed, pushing around the stew on her plate.  
"Didn't your date go well?" Eric asked.  
"Well no it didn't. But Robby and I got in a fight last night." Lucy felt the tears well up in her eyes, Robby and Lucy had avoided each other all day, and he hadn't come down for dinner.  
"What about?" Even though Mary had moved back in and then out of the house again she still came to dinner most nights. Actually the whole family was at the dinner table, Annie, Eric, the twins, Ruthie, Simon, Mary and Matt.   
"Just stuff." Lucy waved it off.  
"Robby glad you decided to join us for dinner." Annie announced as Robby appeared at the top of the stairs.  
"Actually I didn't." Robby said moving so that the family could see the suitcase he carried.  
"Are you going somewhere Robby?" Eric asked.  
"I'm moving out. I don't mean to spring this on you. But I decided now, especially with Joy and I getting married in a couple months and everything I need to grow up and support myself."  
"Robby if this has anything to do with you and Lucy fighting I'm sure you can work it out." Eric said standing up, dropping his napkin and looking back and forth between Lucy and Robby, who were staring intently at each other.  
Robby broke the contact first, "Lucy just helped me realize that I'm a grown up now. I'm getting married I need to start concentrating on Joy and I." As Robby left the kitchen everyone was silent as they heard the door slam. The only sound was Lucy's chair scraping against the floor as she rushed out the same way that Robby had gone.  
Lucy watched Robby's car drive away into the darkness and she sank down on the steps surrendering to her tears.   
  
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid." Lucy sat on the bathroom toilet seat pounding her head with her fists.  
"Lucy are you almost done in there?" Simon asked pounding on the bathroom door. "Matt, Sara, Wilson and Mary are going to be here in 15 minutes."  
"Thanks Simon!" Lucy's voice sounded stronger than she felt.  
  
"Hey Luce are you feeling OK?" Mary asked at dinner that night  
"Lucy's had the flu." Annie sighed, "I'm surprised the whole families not sick."  
Mary nodded, "So have you guys talked to Robby lately?"  
"Yeah." Eric nodded, "He stopped by to see me today actually and he and Joy got married 2 weeks ago, I guess the day after he moved out. And he and Joy are moving to New York tomorrow actually. Joy got a job offer there."  
"Good for them." Mary nodded.  
Lucy jumped up from the table and ran tot he bathroom.  
"You guys stay here we'll go check on Lucy." Annie and Eric both jumped up.  
Both Annie and Eric stood in the hallway as they listened to Lucy throw up.  
"You don't think she's…"  
"Lucy? Our Lucy? Eric no way." Annie exclaimed. "It's just the flu. It is flu season after all. Besides she hasn't had any steady boyfriends. I think the last guy that she went out with was that guy she and Robby disagreed on."  
"Mom? Dad?" Lucy appeared in the hallway.  
"Lucy sweetie are you OK? Maybe you should go back to bed." Annie suggested feeling Lucy's forehead.  
"No, Mom, I'm fine. But I think I need to talk to everyone. Will you meet me downstairs?"  
"Sure Luce. No problem." Eric said putting a hang on the small of Annie's back.  
  
"Is Lucy OK?" Lucy heard Matt ask when she stood at the top of the stairs.  
"I think so…" Annie's words were cautious.  
"She says she has something she needs to tell all of us." Eric added.  
Lucy choose then to make her entrance, "There is something I need to talk to you guys about.   
"I should probably go." Wilson said standing up embarrassed.  
"Yeah me too." Sara agreed.  
"No you guys go ahead and stay." Lucy blushed tears filling her eyes, well I might as well come out and say it. I'm pregnant."  
"Lucy Camden, you're what?"  
"Who's the guy?" Matt asked cracking his knuckles.  
"No one." Lucy shook her head sadly.  
"It can't be no one because if there wasn't we wouldn't be here having this conversation!" Eric's face was read with anger.  
"That's why you and Robby were fighting because he knew you were sleeping with some guy." Simon exclaimed.  
"Robby knew all right." Lucy cried.  
"Lucy how could you, how could you be so irresponsible." Annie yelled.  
"You ruined your life." Eric cried, "I hope it was worth it." Eric dropped his napkin and was about to leave the room.  
"How can you be so hypocritical?" Lucy asked tears streaming down her face. "Over the years I have watched you be the support for one pregnant girl or the other. It thought you would support me!" With those words Lucy ran out the back door.  
"I'll go after her." Mary jumped up.  
"Reverend Camden, Mrs. Camden if I can give you a word of advice?" Wilson asked forcing his voice to remain even. "Don't alienate Lucy, she needs you now more than ever. Support her, or you'll lose her forever." With those words Wilson went after Mary and Lucy.  
  
"It's not because Robby knew you were sleeping with some guy that he left is it?" Mary asked.  
"No, but don't tell Mom and Dad, please. I don't want them disappointed in him."  
"You and Robby…" Mary let her sentence trail at her sisters nod, "Well I will always be here for you." Mary whispered hugging Lucy.  
"Mary, Lucy mind if I join you?" Wilson called softly from the back porch.  
"Yeah Wilson were out here." Lucy sniffed.  
"You OK?" Wilson asked rubbing Lucy's shoulders.  
"How can you even ask me that?" Lucy asked, "My family hates me."  
"Luce they don't hate you." Mary insisted.  
"Lucy, Mary and I were going tot ell everyone tonight but you spilled your news first. We're getting married."  
"Really?" Lucy asked looking towards Mary at her nod she burst back into tears, "I'm sorry!"  
"Wow! Calm down!" Mary exclaimed, "It's no problem."  
"Really Lucy it isn't." Wilson added, "But if things get to crazy here for you, you are welcome to move in with Mary and me."  
"Really?" Lucy asked.  
"Of course Luce, I'm your sister. I'll always be here for you. I promise."  
"Thanks Mary."  
  
The next week was probably the worst Lucy had ever had. The only people who weren't treating Lucy differently were Sam and David, the twins were still to young to know what was going on. Eric and Annie weren't speaking to Lucy. Eric was spending more time than ever at church, and Annie seemed to have everything spotless, and was always at school before and after the time she actually taught. Simon never seemed to be home, he had his license and spent all day after school and until curfew out. Ruthy seemed to be unsure of what to do, she was torn between loyalty to her parents and loyalty to her sister.  
  
Sunday morning dawned without Lucy being woken up like she usually was by Simon, David or Ruthy. Glancing at the clock Lucy jumped up rushing around and getting dressed. If she was going to make amends with her parents going to church would be a very good start.  
But morning sickness kicked in and she had spent all her time in the church bathroom  
Lucy walked into service at the end of it. Just in time to hear her dad say,   
We all have to learn to forgive people's mistakes. It's not our responsibility to punish people for their sins. Let God deal with your mistakes and others give them all to God. I want you to think about this through out the week." As Eric said those words he caught Lucy's eye and smiled.  
  
"Dad I'm so sorry." Lucy said when they were home after church.  
"Lucy I was serious, you made a mistake, yes, but it's not my job to condemn you. I love you, and it's my job to support you." Eric hugged Lucy and kissed her on the forehead.  
"Lucy your Dad's right. You just took us by surprise. It will be nice having a grandchild." Annie said entering the kitchen and joining the three, hugging Lucy also and kissing her forehead.  
  
"Lucy do you want to know what you are going to have?" Dr. Myers asked coming into the room in early November.  
Lucy twirled a strand of hair, and she looked towards Annie, "I think I do want to know."  
"Well OK then you are going to have a girl." Dr. Myers smiled.  
"A girl!" Lucy clapped her hands. "Mom I'm going to have a baby girl." Annie hugged Lucy and nodded. "But she's healthy right? My baby girl is healthy?"  
"As far as I can tell. You're having Hank deliver the baby right?" Dr. Myers asked.  
Lucy nodded, "Yeah. He's my uncle, and he delivered my twin brothers. I trust him."  
"Good. Well that's about all we need for this visit. Talk to the receptionist I want to see you again soon though."   
Lucy nodded as she hopped of the examination table. "OK thanks Dr. Myers."  
  
"Lucy I just can't get over the fact that you are pregnant." Alexis McGreggor gushed later the same day when Annie and Lucy were in the grocery store. "You are so tiny. How many months pregnant are you again?"  
Lucy blushed, "4."  
Alexis shook her head and clucked, "You are one of those people who looks absolutely adorable pregnant."  
"Thanks Mrs. McGreggor."  
"That outfit is adorable. You probably won't ever have to wear maternity clothes."   
Lucy flushed an even darker red when Annie cut in, "Lucy is one of the lucky ones. But we better get home. I left the twins with Mary and Wilson and I'm sure they are going crazy by now."  
"Their wedding was truly beautiful. I don't know if I got to thank them properly for inviting me." Mrs. McGreggor continued to gush. "I'm so glad to see that Mary's got her life all straightened out. I was so afraid that she was going to ruin her life completely."  
"Well it has been a year and a half since she came back from Buffalo." Annie replied.  
"And how is Simon we haven't seen him in church in awhile."  
"He's doing fine Mrs. McGreggor he just has a lot of things going on. Now if you will excuse us we have to be leaving now." Annie replied, and pulled at Lucy's arm.  
When they were in the car Lucy asked, "Mom you're worried about Simon aren't you?"  
Annie nodded, "Yeah I am. He's friends with people I haven't met, nor does he ever want me to meet I'm sure. He's out at all hours, he breaks curfew, he's grades aren't going down but you know Simon he can pull any A off without studying. I don't know what to do with him anymore."  
"He'll be OK I'm sure Mom."  
"After seeing everything Mary went through I don't want to see another child go through it too."   
"He's not old enough to get into as much trouble as Mary did. Mary was out of school and not going to college and had to have a job. It won't be as bad as Mary I'm sure."  
  
"I don't know if I can last 4 more months of this Mom." Lucy sighed drying her hands off and rubbing her back.  
Annie laughed, "Luce you barely look like you're 3 months pregnant let 5 and you're complaining."  
"Mom are you and Dad sure about me living here?"  
"Lucy we've been over this, we would love for you to live with us."  
"But I feel like I am taking advantage of the situation."   
"Lucy you are doing no such thing. I know you will pull your weight. You have already insisted on paying rent, and when you aren't at work you watch Sam and David, and you cook and clean. If anything Lucy we are taking advantage of this situation."  
Lucy smiled weakly but her face had gone pale.  
"Luce are you feeling OK? Do you want to lie down?"  
"I don't know Mom, I don't feel so well all of a sudden." With those words Lucy doubled over clutching her stomach. Lucy looked up with tear-filled eyes before doubling over again, "Mom something's wrong." 


	3. High Risks, Robby's announcment

"What do you think we should do Reverend? Jamie insists that she wants to keep the baby. We couldn't go to our own Revered because we are embarrassed."  
Eric smiled, "I know how you feel, believe me. My daughter announced that she was pregnant 5 months ago. We were stunned and unbelievably upset. But we realized thanks to our son-in-law, our oldest daughter's husband also had a child very young, but he pointed out that unless we supported her in all of her choices we would drive her away. And I think Wilson's advice is the best I can give you. But if you…"  
"Are you going to answer that?" The man sitting across from Eric asked.  
Eric hadn't even realized the phone was ringing, "No the machine will get it. As I was saying…"  
"Eric it's Annie, I'm at the hospital…"  
Eric jumped up and grabbed the phone.  
"Eric thank God. We are at the hospital. Something's wrong with Lucy. She's with the doctor now, I have Sam and David with me. Can you call the kids, and pick Ruthy and Simon up from school. And call Julie and Hank, Lucy's terrified and she is begging for Hank. And he's not on duty."  
"Yeah I'll be there as soon as I can."  
  
"Mom what's wrong with Lucy?" Ruthy asked as she and Eric rushed in, Simon trailing behind.  
"They're not sure yet. Hank is in with her now but they won't tell me anything.  
  
When Hank came out Ruthy was entertaining Sam and David, saying things like, "Last time we were here you were born."  
Mary sat on Wilson's lap with her arms wrapped around his neck, and her face buried in his shoulder. Matt and Sara sat in separate chairs but Matt had Sara's hand clasped in his. Eric had his head bowed in prayer and Annie went back and forth between prayer and rubbing Eric's back. Simon sat in a corner scowling. Julie stood leaning against the wall watching her family and waiting for her husband.  
"Hank what's going on?" Annie asked.  
"We are going to have to deliver the baby." Hank stated.  
"What?" Annie jumped up, "She is barely 5 months pregnant. That can't be safe."  
"It's not. But it's not safe if we don't deliver the baby. Either way Lucy and the baby have about a 50% chance of surviving this, before she goes into surgery she wants to see someone. And I had to pull major strings to allow that."  
"I'll go." Annie and Matt chimed in at exactly the same time.  
"Actually she wants Wilson." Hank replied  
"Wilson?" Annie asked.   
"Go." Mary said pushing Wilson towards Hank.  
  
"Lucy how are you?" Wilson asked walking into the spotless white room.  
"Not so great."  
"I don't have a problem with being here, but why did you want me here and not your family?"  
"Because you've been here before."  
"So has your mother…Oh, OK I get it. Well I'm here what do you need me to do?"  
"First I need you to promise me something."  
"Anything."  
"If it comes down to a question of who to save make sure they choose the baby."  
"Lucy don't talk like that everything's going to be fine."  
"Robby I know it might not be. Please, I don't think I could go on if…"  
"OK Luce I'll make sure it gets done." Wilson replied.  
"And if it comes down to it, will you and Mary raise the baby? Mom and Dad have so much to take care of."  
"Of course." Wilson nodded.  
"Lucy I'm sorry but Wilson has to go now." Hank interrupted.  
"Hank you heard that right?" Lucy asked.  
"I heard every word of it Lucy." Hank nodded.  
Wilson kissed Lucy on the forehead and watched Lucy be rolled away just as she called, "Tell everyone I love them."  
  
"Well what's going on?" Mary was pacing back and forth when Wilson walked back in.  
"Tell us the truth Wilson." Annie begged.  
Wilson sat in a chair as everyone surrounded him, "Lucy doesn't seem to confidant that she will be walking out of here. She made me promise that if it came down to a decision as to who to save, her or the baby she wanted the baby to be saved. And if it comes down to that she doesn't want you to be burdened with the baby, she wants Mary and I to raise it.  
  
"Matt do you think you could take the twins home?" Eric asked.  
"No way Mom, I'm not leaving the hospital until we hear something about Lucy and the baby." Matt replied.  
"We have been here 3 hours they can't just sleep here." Eric argued.  
"That's why we are here dear." Mrs. McGreggor appeared with a couple of other ladies from the church.  
"How did you know we were here?" Eric asked rubbing his eyes and standing up.  
"Well I was calling the house for quite awhile earlier to see if next Friday would have be a good time to have Lucy's baby shower. But when nobody answered I called over at the church. Because you know it's so rare to not get a hold of somebody in your house. But nobody was at the church either. Well almost as soon as I hung up Hannah called me and said that she was supposed to have a meeting with you but a couple who doesn't go to our church said that you had rushed off in the middle of their meeting to go to the hospital. So our thought immediately turned to Lucy and here we are."  
Eric gave a weak smile while Annie ignored them. "Thank you very much."  
"So what do you need us to do?" Hannah Bradford asked stepping forward.  
Eric glanced at Annie who had her head bowed in her hands, and said, "Well if you could take Ruthy and the twins home with you we would really appreciate it."  
"Dad I'm not a baby please let me stay." Lucy begged, "Please, she's my sister too."  
"All right then. If you could take the twins home and watch them."  
"Would you like us a call anyone for you?" Mrs. McGreggor asked.  
Eric shook his head, "No thank you. Just taking the twins would be great."  
"All right then." Mrs. Bradford replied. "We will take them home and put them to bed. But we brought you all some sandwiches and there are drinks in there also. We figured it would be better than cafeteria food."  
"Thank you again." Eric replied.  
  
"It's been almost 12 hours what's going on in…" Matt's words trailed as a nurse appeared.  
"The doctor had to make a decision. And Lucy specified that if it came down to it she wanted everything done to save the baby. Dr. Hastings went with that decision, he just wanted you to know." The nurse spoke and then hurried away.  
  
Hank was the last person they saw 2 hours later, he looked slightly worried as he came out. "There have been a lot of complications. But both Lucy and her daughter are alive, by some miracle of God and no less. Now for them to get through the next couple of days will take another miracle of God so the 8 of you need to continue praying But a baby girl was born at exactly 6 o'clock."  
"Can we see her?" Mary asked.  
"No way. Not today. What I want all of you to do is go home, get sleep and come back tonight, say like 6:30, 12 hours from now. Then I will see you and we will talk about seeing Lucy and the baby."  
  
12 hours later the whole family was back at the hospital looking for Hank. "Maybe we should try the neonatal nursery." Matt suggested, "So we can see the baby before we go and see Lucy.  
"You think they put her in neonatal?" Annie asked.  
Matt nodded, "I can guarantee it."  
"Well your guarantee is wrong." Ruthy pointed out, "There is no baby here with any Camden tag."  
Eric, Annie and Matt exchanged glances, "Maybe she isn't as bad off as we thought she was." Matt suggested, but everyone knew that something was wrong.  
But when they arrived at the normal nursery again there was no baby with the name of Camden.   
"Mom what's going on?" Ruthy asked worry written across her face.  
"We're not sure Ruthy. But we are going to find out." Annie replied soothingly.  
"There you guys are." Hank said skidding to a stop in front of the group of 8.  
"Hank what's going on? Where's the baby?" Eric asked.  
"There were some complications." Hank replied calmly.   
"Is Lucy OK?" Ruthy asked quickly.  
"What about the baby?" Annie added.  
"Lucy's OK." Hank replied, "Exhausted, and shook up so she will be very glad to see you all."   
"Why? Why is she shaken up? What's wrong with her baby?" Annie asked quickly.  
"About an hour after you guys left the baby began having some breathing problems. But they seemed to get better, we just made sure her air passage wasn't blocked. (AN I don't know anything about what I am talking about here, except that really good friends of ours their baby had this and he is like 7 now.) I wanted to run some test though, and the baby has RSV."  
"Meaning what exactly?" Eric asked.  
"Meaning this baby has a hard road in front of her." Matt stated.  
"Matt's right. We have her on oxygen and a heart monitor round the clock."   
"Has Lucy gotten to hold her?" Annie questioned and at the look on Hank's face she exclaimed, "My daughter hasn't gotten to see her baby yet? Why in the world not?"  
"She was to out of it right after the baby was gone, we almost lost her, she did get to see the baby though. And then when we finally got Lucy stable the baby started having problems. But you guys can go see Lucy."   
  
"Have you guys seen her yet?" Lucy asked as soon as her family walked into her hospital room. Lucy looked pale and her hair was strewn everywhere.   
Annie shook her head, "No we haven't. Some of us will go see her in a little bit."   
"How are you feeling honey?" Eric asked kissing Lucy on the forehead.  
Lucy just smiled, "Sorry if I scared you guys."  
"That's OK. Everything's going to be OK." Annie whispered.  
"Where's Wilson?" Lucy asked looking around.  
"At home with Billy." Mary replied, "He wants to see his baby cousin, and aunt Lucy, but Wilson is going to stop over when I go home."  
"So Luce have you picked a name yet?" Ruthy asked.  
Lucy nodded, "Yup, Megan Alexandria Camden."  
"We can call her Meg." Mary pointed out.  
"Or Alex if you use her middle name." Annie added.  
"Or," Ruthy bit her lip thinking, "Her initials are Mac!"   
"That's cute Ruthy." Lucy laughed.  
"Can we go see Mac now?" Ruthy asked.  
Everyone laughed and Annie nodded, "Yeah, we will be right back Lucy."  
"I'll wait here and go see her later." Mary said waving everyone ahead of her. "Are you still sure about not telling Robby?" Mary asked when everyone had left the room.  
"Mary we have been over this a million times. But not since you've been married so let me try it this time. How would you feel if you found out that Wilson not only slept with someone else while you were engaged but also got that same person pregnant?"  
"I guess I understand that. But it's not fair to Robby or to Meg. Robby won't get to know his daughter and Meg won't get to know her father." Mary pointed out.  
Lucy shook her head "I don't want to talk about this right now."  
  
"We're gonna make our dreams come true." Sam and David finished the song their older brothers and sisters had taught them, they were a little off key and slightly slower than everyone else but they did finish the familiar song.  
Lucy and Annie both had tears in their eyes and Lucy gently bent to kiss Meg's foreheaed.  
  
25 months later  
Lucy could hear the phone ringing downstairs but she didn't bother attempting to get it, the whole family was downstairs so she was sure that someone would get it. Instead Lucy picked up the baby brush from the dresser and she gently brushed Meg's dark hair. After brushing it Lucy pulled a scarlet velvet headband over her hair, it had come along with the red velvet and lace dress that she was wearing for Christmas.  
Ruthy clomped upstairs to the attic bedroom that had once been hers, now it was Lucy and Meg's. "Luce are you almost ready to go?" Ruthy asked.  
"Yup, Meg and I are both ready." Lucy replied.  
"Good. Robby's on the phone. He has something he wants to tell everyone. So Dad has him on speakerphone. I'll take Mac down." Ruthy offered.  
Lucy smiled weakly at her little sister, she couldn't believe how mature Ruthy looked. Ruthy took after Mary more, she was taller than Lucy was and she was only 15. "Are you sure you want to hold her Ruthy? You don't want to ruin your dress."  
Ruthy nodded smoothing her ankle length black dress with a fuchsia mesh over it, "It's no problem. Mac won't spit up on her aunt Ruthy."  
Lucy laughed lightly at Ruthy's nickname for her daughter, everyone except Ruthy called her Meg, but Ruthy seemed attached to the nickname.   
Lucy entered the living room after Ruthy, Matt and Mary and their spouses were present, everyone was joking with Robby. Wilson's hands were wrapped around Mary's waist and rested on Mary's stomach, at times it depressed Lucy to see Mary and Wilson together now that Mary was 5 months pregnant, Mary had everything that Lucy had missed out on.   
The first couple months after Meg was born had been really hard on everyone who was living in the Camden household. For the first 3 months right up until about Valentine's day Meg had been on a heart monitor all the time, even when she was home, and it was until 2 months later that they took off the round the clock oxygen.   
And when things had finally startled to settle down around the house everything exploded again when Lucy had been doing laundry in May. Because Meg had been so sick it had stopped Lucy from attempting to find a job and while she was searching she did everything for her mother. While she had been cleaning out jean pockets she found something in Simon's that stunned her, a joint lay inside. Simon had denied that it was his until he was blue in the face; but a lot of things now made sense, like the fact that Simon was never around. A quick look at Simon's eyes proved that not only was he using drugs but that he was stoned at the moment.  
It had taken a quick phone call to the colonel and Grandma Ruth before Simon was on his way to Buffalo to finish his senior year in high school. But everyone was still worried about him The Colonel and Grandma Ruth said that there was no improvement in his attitude although they said that they didn't have any proof that he was doing drugs.  
But now it was Christmas day and all Lucy had to worry about was talking to Robby for the first time since he left. She had always been inconveniently gone while Robby called, and he called to talk often.  
"Is Lucy there yet?" Robby's voice rang out from the speakerphone.  
"Yeah I'm here." Lucy's voice was filled with emotion.  
"Good so everyone is in the room now?" Robby asked, his voice sounded overly enthusiastic.  
"Yeah we are all here." Mary said as she and Wilson shot Lucy sympathetic looks.  
"OK well I know that you are all probably in a hurry to get to church services. And Merry Christmas to you all by the way. But I had to call and tell you all Joy had our baby last night."  
"Robby that's great." Everyone exclaimed, everyone except Lucy who went numb.  
"What is it?" Ruthy asked.  
"What is its name?" 5-year-old David piped up.  
"His name is Timothy Evan, and he weighs 7 pounds 2 ounces. Can you guys believe it I'm a daddy!" Robby exclaimed.  
"First born children are always exciting." Annie laughed.  
Lucy sank into a chair and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself before anyone could find out that something was wrong.  
"There's something I want to ask all of you." Robby ventured.  
"Shoot." Eric replied.  
"I want Timothy to call you all Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt and Uncle."   
"We would be offended if you didn't." Annie said a tear coming to her eyes.  
"Robby as much as I hate to cut this conversation short if we don't get to church everyone is going to be at church without a minister." Eric interrupted.  
"Yeah I understand. I was just calling to tell everyone."  
"We'll talk to you later Robby. Give our grandson a hug." Eric said before hanging up the phone.  
"Dad, Mary can I go with Grandpa and Grandma Camden?" Billy asked.  
"I'll go with Mary and Wilson and Billy can go with you." Lucy said glad for the chance her nephew was offering.  
"OK." Annie said, "Everyone needs to leave now or we are going to be late." 


	4. Bad Mom, Illness

"I'm a terrible mother!" Lucy cried.  
"No you're not Luce." Mary soothed.  
"I have a daughter whose father doesn't even know she exists."  
"Robby knows Meg exists." Wilson pointed out.  
"He knows I have a daughter! He doesn't know Meg is his!" Lucy cried.  
"Luce I didn't understand why you wouldn't tell Robby at first. But I think I understand now, and you are a good person because of it." Mary said quietly. "There's a brand new family that probably wouldn't be there if you had told Robby. Yes Meg will grow up without knowing who her father is. But she's going to have a very selfless mother." Mary' words become strong.  
  
3 years late  
"Mommy!" Meg cry floated into the kitchen from the living room.  
"Lucy!" David's voice joined Meg's "Meg has a nosebleed again!"  
Lucy grabbed a towel and rushed into the living room and scooped up her daughter and placed the towel around her nose. Lucy's heart went out to her tiny daughter as she cried. "It's OK baby. Uncle Matt is going to tell you what's wrong soon and he will get you some medicine."   
When Meg's nose finally stopped bleeding Lucy sat Meg down even though the 4-year-old still tried to cling to her. "Mommy has work she has to do. Sam, David can you guys put in a movie. I want her to sit still until Matt calls and tells me what's up."  
Lucy's 8-year-old twin brothers nodded and Sam went off to hunt for a movie that Meg liked.  
Lucy pulled her hair back into a ponytail and looked at the figures, they weren't making an ounce of sense to her. When the church had decided to open Hope House 3 years earlier Lucy had been asked to run it. Hope House was an organization much like the one Lucy had worked in when she was high school, Habitat for Humanity hadn't been located in Glen Oak and there was a great need for it. All the churches in Glen Oak had helped provide money to start it and they still donated money to pay the people who ran it. It was mostly run my run by volunteers who did the building and what not, but Lucy still had some people employed who got paid.  
"Hey Luce, how's the accounting coming?" Ruthy asked rummaging through the refrigerator.  
"I hate this stuff. Belinda Young quit, I mean she got into Harvard so she couldn't exactly go there and work for me. But that leaves me shorthanded, I'm supposed to be raising and spending the money she figured now I am doing it all." Lucy said her pencil down and rubbed her temples, suddenly though when a thought struck her she pulled her hands away, "School's almost out Ruth."  
"Yeah. I graduate next month, it is April after all." Ruthy pointed out.  
"And you are going to college here." Lucy added.  
"Yes," Ruthy nodded giving Lucy a look, "Why are we stating the obvious?"  
"You're good with numbers."  
"Yeah." Ruthy nodded, catching on.  
"How would you like to take Belinda's place?" Lucy asked.  
"Seriously?" Ruthy asked.  
Lucy nodded, "As soon as you graduate you are welcome to a full time job."   
"I'd love it!" Ruthy exclaimed.  
"Good. Then I will have time again to actually work on the houses." Lucy smiled.  
"Matt and Sara are here." Sam said sticking his head in the doorway.  
"Thanks." Lucy said jumping up.  
"Matt you didn't come all the way over here tell prescribe something for Meg." Lucy said taking a seat in the living room. Lucy glanced at her sister-in-law, Sara looked pale and she had dark circles under her eyes, "Is everything OK Sara? The babies fine isn't it?"   
Sara smiled weakly, "One of our doctors it out on vacation so I have had to pull double shifts a lot. And of course being 4 months pregnant doesn't help."  
"So Matt what's wrong with Meg?" Lucy asked pulling Meg into her lap, "She had another nose bleed today."  
"Something's wrong with Meg, Lucy." Matt said solemnly.  
"I know that's why I brought her to you." Lucy said rolling her eyes, "So do you have medicine you can give her?"  
"Lucy something is really wrong. Meg had leukemia." Matt sadly.  
Lucy sat completely still for 5 minutes and then Matt continued, "I need you to check her into the hospital. So we can start finding something to do for her." Still Lucy didn't moved and Matt broke his doctor bit and wrapped his arms around Lucy and Meg.  
  
"Are you sure you are OK here?" Matt asked kissing Sara.  
Sara nodded, "Yes. I'll tell your parents everything."  
  
"Luce you need to fill all of these out." Matt said handing Lucy a clipboard and pen. Lucy hadn't said a word to anyone on the way over. Meg wasn't completely sure what was going on and she kept looking back and forth between her mother and uncle.  
  
"How's Meg doing?" Annie asked 2 days later when an exhausted Lucy walked into the kitchen after dinner.   
"Not good. They start her on chemotherapy tomorrow Mom. Meg's only 4 and she has to go through chemotherapy." Lucy collapsed onto a barstool burying her face in her hands. "Why my baby? Why would God make her so sick when she was born and put her through more when she is older?"  
Annie wrapped her arms around Lucy; "God does things for many reasons Lucy. We don't know them right now. But Meg getting sick is for a reason. Robby called today he told me to tell you that he is very sorry about Meg."  
Lucy shook her head, "Why'd he call."  
"Joy's pregnant again." Annie said her words quietly, she knew that finding out that Robby would be having his 4th most likely healthy child would not help Lucy's spirits.  
"Didn't Joy just have a boy earlier this year?"  
"Yes." Annie replied, "Stephan was born in August, this baby is due in November."  
"Wonderful." Lucy said bitterly, "I'm not hungry, I'm going to get some sleep. The nurse that is on Meg's route said that she doesn't have to work tomorrow and she offered to stay with night with Meg. And Meg adores her."  
"What's wrong with Luce?" Mary asked wandering into the kitchen as Lucy raced up the stairs.  
"I told her about Robby and Joy having another baby." Annie sighed, "Sometimes I think Lucy has really strong feelings for Robby."  
Mary was silent for a moment and then said, "We're going to go Mom. Wilson's taking Alicia to the car, she fell asleep watching the movie with Sam. And I'm not feeling so great." Annie hugged Mary and kissed her, "At 2 Alicia is less trouble than this baby." Mary said rubbing her stomach.  
"I'll go get Billy, he's up in David's room, they are playing video games."  
  
Simon looked around in the dark and pulled out his key her prayed that his family hadn't changed the locks. Inserting his key he found that it worked in the front door he quietly pushed open the door and picked up both handles. Simon gently set both carriers on the coffee table, Simon glanced around the living room. He half expected to see no sign that he ever existed, after he had disappeared out of the Colonel and Grandma Ruth's house a year ago he figured his family had abandoned him. But his pictures were mixed in with pictures of his brother's and sisters, and the families they now had, that he had never met.  
Sighing he tucked an envelope into each bundle and as quietly as he had come he stole out of the bedroom.  
  
"Mom!" Sam exclaimed running up the stairs.  
"Dad!" David added following his brother.  
"Mom!"  
"Dad!"  
Annie stuck her head out of the bedroom door a robe quickly wrapped around her body, "What is it you two? Don't wake the whole house up! It's 5:30 in the morning."  
Sam and David both grabbed one of their mother's hands and drug her after them. Before they entered the living room Annie exclaimed, "If this has anything to do with TV you two are grounded until further notice."   
"It's not." David promised sliding open the door.  
"Look!" Sam pointed at the baby carriers.  
"What in the world?" Annie asked rushing over.  
"They were here when we got up to watch cartoons." Sam said watching one of the babies.  
"David go up and get your father immediately." Annie ordered as she grabbed around for the letters.   
"Annie what's going on?" Eric asked appearing in the living room moments later, followed by Ruthy.  
Annie didn't reply but handed Eric one of the letters, "Read it out loud Dad." Ruthy urged.  
Eric cleared his throat and began "Dead Mom and Dad, I know it's been awhile since you heard from me. And I'm sorry for any and all pain I have put you through. I can't really explain that part in a letter. You are probably wondering why these babies are sitting on your living room table, and if everything went as planned I was able to sneak in with the same key I used when I lived there leave the babies and sneak off. You are probably thinking I am a terrible father for leaving my children at anyone's house, even if it is my parents. But I want to explain something to you, my life has gone done hill since I left the colonel and Grandma Ruth's. I married a woman named Carrie, more out of a stoned stupor than anything else, and for the first time in a long time I have taken the time to write this when I am not in one. Carrie gave birth to these twins on April 1st making them 2 weeks old to the day. Both were born with a marijuana addiction, they were working the horrible parts of that out when Carrie and I got nervous and disappeared out of the hospital. Carrie thinks I am taking the twins to an adoption agency, even though we have a drug addiction now doesn't mean we don't know what's right for our children. Although I fear that my leaving them here has more to do with me carrying then Carrie wanting them to be left at an adoption agency. I couldn't take them there, I don't know what would happen to them then. Now that I have children to take care of I am divorcing Carrie and I am going to get some help. I don't want you to have to take care of them for their whole lives I just need you to watch them for me while I help myself get straightened out. I love you, and I am unbelievably sorry for everything I have done. I hope that in time you can forgive me. Simon. PS their names are Jessica Kelsey and Jonathan Edward, enclosed you will find their birth certificates."  
"Oh Simon." Annie whispered. "You have come up with the worst timing ever."  
Ruthy stood gaping finally regaining her composure she asked, "Are we going to keep her?"  
"I don't think we have much of a choice, Ruthy." Annie replied.  
"They are twins, like us." Sam said peering over the edge of the blanket at Jonathan.  
The screaming started when Ruthy walked in the living, all ready dressed in a pair of jeans and a pink mock turtleneck. "Who's babies?" Ruthy asked.  
"Simon's." Eric replied still stunned.  
Lucy arched an eyebrow but picked up Jessica who was waking her brother up. Settling Jessica in one crook of her arms she managed to scoop Jonathan up. "You babies are probably starving, aren't you?"  
"Lucy right, who knows how long they have been here." Eric said grabbing his keys. "I'll make a quick run to the store and get bottles, formula, and diapers."  
"Hold up Dad." Lucy said quickly, "I still have Meg's baby bottles, just get formula and diapers for right now. We can get other baby necessities later."   
  
When Eric returned 15 minutes later Annie was waiting by the front door, "They are still screaming?" Eric asked.  
"Yeah." Annie nodded, "But Eric, I think this may be a blessing in disguise, Lucy hasn't had time to worry about Meg. Ruthy snuck out a minute ago and she's gonna go to the hospital to spend some time with Meg, so that she's not alone."  
  
2 months later  
"How are you feeling baby?" Lucy asked walking into Meg's room.  
"Good!" Meg said, "Look what I colored for the babies!"  
"That's a very pretty picture." Lucy said.  
"Put it in your purse." Meg ordered and Lucy tucked the picture safely there.  
"Hey you two." Matt said coming into the hospital room.  
"Uncle Dr. Matt!" Meg giggled.   
"Did Aunt Mary teach you that?" Lucy asked smiling.  
"Yup." Meg giggled again, but suddenly Meg turned solemn, "They took blood today Mommy, when Aunt Mary, and Uncle Wilson were here."  
"What? Why?" Lucy asked looking nervously at Matt.  
"I didn't cry at all Mommy! Nurse Beth even gave me a sticker!" Meg showed her rose sticker proudly.  
"Matt why did they take blood again?" Lucy asked again, "Is something wrong."  
"Nope, nothing is wrong." Matt said cheerfully.  
"Then what's going on?" Lucy snapped.  
"I want Meg out of here!" Matt boomed, "Tomorrow."  
Lucy shrieked and jumped up, "Oh thank God. She's OK right Matt?" Lucy asked when she threw her arms around Matt's neck.  
"Her blood work show's no signs of leukemia in her blood at all." Matt grinned.  
"I'm going home?" Meg asked from her seat on her hospital bed.  
"Yes baby you are. First thing tomorrow morning."  
"But what about my friends here?" Meg asked tearfully, "I'm going to miss them!"  
"But baby you won't feel sick anymore." Lucy said.  
"I know, but I'm still going to miss everybody here!" Meg cried.  
"When you come to visit me at work you can visit everyone here." Matt interrupted.  
Meg thought for a minute and then nodded. 


	5. Nieces, Nephews, New Years, Relapse

"I'm a terrible mother!" Lucy cried.  
"No you're not Luce." Mary soothed.  
"I have a daughter whose father doesn't even know she exists."  
"Robby knows Meg exists." Wilson pointed out.  
"He knows I have a daughter! He doesn't know Meg is his!" Lucy cried.  
"Luce I didn't understand why you wouldn't tell Robby at first. But I think I understand now, and you are a good person because of it." Mary said quietly. "There's a brand new family that probably wouldn't be there if you had told Robby. Yes Meg will grow up without knowing who her father is. But she's going to have a very selfless mother." Mary' words become strong.  
  
3 years late  
"Mommy!" Meg cry floated into the kitchen from the living room.  
"Lucy!" David's voice joined Meg's "Meg has a nosebleed again!"  
Lucy grabbed a towel and rushed into the living room and scooped up her daughter and placed the towel around her nose. Lucy's heart went out to her tiny daughter as she cried. "It's OK baby. Uncle Matt is going to tell you what's wrong soon and he will get you some medicine."   
When Meg's nose finally stopped bleeding Lucy sat Meg down even though the 4-year-old still tried to cling to her. "Mommy has work she has to do. Sam, David can you guys put in a movie. I want her to sit still until Matt calls and tells me what's up."  
Lucy's 8-year-old twin brothers nodded and Sam went off to hunt for a movie that Meg liked.  
Lucy pulled her hair back into a ponytail and looked at the figures, they weren't making an ounce of sense to her. When the church had decided to open Hope House 3 years earlier Lucy had been asked to run it. Hope House was an organization much like the one Lucy had worked in when she was high school, Habitat for Humanity hadn't been located in Glen Oak and there was a great need for it. All the churches in Glen Oak had helped provide money to start it and they still donated money to pay the people who ran it. It was mostly run my run by volunteers who did the building and what not, but Lucy still had some people employed who got paid.  
"Hey Luce, how's the accounting coming?" Ruthy asked rummaging through the refrigerator.  
"I hate this stuff. Belinda Young quit, I mean she got into Harvard so she couldn't exactly go there and work for me. But that leaves me shorthanded, I'm supposed to be raising and spending the money she figured now I am doing it all." Lucy said her pencil down and rubbed her temples, suddenly though when a thought struck her she pulled her hands away, "School's almost out Ruth."  
"Yeah. I graduate next month, it is April after all." Ruthy pointed out.  
"And you are going to college here." Lucy added.  
"Yes," Ruthy nodded giving Lucy a look, "Why are we stating the obvious?"  
"You're good with numbers."  
"Yeah." Ruthy nodded, catching on.  
"How would you like to take Belinda's place?" Lucy asked.  
"Seriously?" Ruthy asked.  
Lucy nodded, "As soon as you graduate you are welcome to a full time job."   
"I'd love it!" Ruthy exclaimed.  
"Good. Then I will have time again to actually work on the houses." Lucy smiled.  
"Matt and Sara are here." Sam said sticking his head in the doorway.  
"Thanks." Lucy said jumping up.  
"Matt you didn't come all the way over here tell prescribe something for Meg." Lucy said taking a seat in the living room. Lucy glanced at her sister-in-law, Sara looked pale and she had dark circles under her eyes, "Is everything OK Sara? The babies fine isn't it?"   
Sara smiled weakly, "One of our doctors it out on vacation so I have had to pull double shifts a lot. And of course being 4 months pregnant doesn't help."  
"So Matt what's wrong with Meg?" Lucy asked pulling Meg into her lap, "She had another nose bleed today."  
"Something's wrong with Meg, Lucy." Matt said solemnly.  
"I know that's why I brought her to you." Lucy said rolling her eyes, "So do you have medicine you can give her?"  
"Lucy something is really wrong. Meg had leukemia." Matt sadly.  
Lucy sat completely still for 5 minutes and then Matt continued, "I need you to check her into the hospital. So we can start finding something to do for her." Still Lucy didn't moved and Matt broke his doctor bit and wrapped his arms around Lucy and Meg.  
  
"Are you sure you are OK here?" Matt asked kissing Sara.  
Sara nodded, "Yes. I'll tell your parents everything."  
  
"Luce you need to fill all of these out." Matt said handing Lucy a clipboard and pen. Lucy hadn't said a word to anyone on the way over. Meg wasn't completely sure what was going on and she kept looking back and forth between her mother and uncle.  
  
"How's Meg doing?" Annie asked 2 days later when an exhausted Lucy walked into the kitchen after dinner.   
"Not good. They start her on chemotherapy tomorrow Mom. Meg's only 4 and she has to go through chemotherapy." Lucy collapsed onto a barstool burying her face in her hands. "Why my baby? Why would God make her so sick when she was born and put her through more when she is older?"  
Annie wrapped her arms around Lucy; "God does things for many reasons Lucy. We don't know them right now. But Meg getting sick is for a reason. Robby called today he told me to tell you that he is very sorry about Meg."  
Lucy shook her head, "Why'd he call."  
"Joy's pregnant again." Annie said her words quietly, she knew that finding out that Robby would be having his 4th most likely healthy child would not help Lucy's spirits.  
"Didn't Joy just have a boy earlier this year?"  
"Yes." Annie replied, "Stephan was born in August, this baby is due in November."  
"Wonderful." Lucy said bitterly, "I'm not hungry, I'm going to get some sleep. The nurse that is on Meg's route said that she doesn't have to work tomorrow and she offered to stay with night with Meg. And Meg adores her."  
"What's wrong with Luce?" Mary asked wandering into the kitchen as Lucy raced up the stairs.  
"I told her about Robby and Joy having another baby." Annie sighed, "Sometimes I think Lucy has really strong feelings for Robby."  
Mary was silent for a moment and then said, "We're going to go Mom. Wilson's taking Alicia to the car, she fell asleep watching the movie with Sam. And I'm not feeling so great." Annie hugged Mary and kissed her, "At 2 Alicia is less trouble than this baby." Mary said rubbing her stomach.  
"I'll go get Billy, he's up in David's room, they are playing video games."  
  
Simon looked around in the dark and pulled out his key her prayed that his family hadn't changed the locks. Inserting his key he found that it worked in the front door he quietly pushed open the door and picked up both handles. Simon gently set both carriers on the coffee table, Simon glanced around the living room. He half expected to see no sign that he ever existed, after he had disappeared out of the Colonel and Grandma Ruth's house a year ago he figured his family had abandoned him. But his pictures were mixed in with pictures of his brother's and sisters, and the families they now had, that he had never met.  
Sighing he tucked an envelope into each bundle and as quietly as he had come he stole out of the bedroom.  
  
"Mom!" Sam exclaimed running up the stairs.  
"Dad!" David added following his brother.  
"Mom!"  
"Dad!"  
Annie stuck her head out of the bedroom door a robe quickly wrapped around her body, "What is it you two? Don't wake the whole house up! It's 5:30 in the morning."  
Sam and David both grabbed one of their mother's hands and drug her after them. Before they entered the living room Annie exclaimed, "If this has anything to do with TV you two are grounded until further notice."   
"It's not." David promised sliding open the door.  
"Look!" Sam pointed at the baby carriers.  
"What in the world?" Annie asked rushing over.  
"They were here when we got up to watch cartoons." Sam said watching one of the babies.  
"David go up and get your father immediately." Annie ordered as she grabbed around for the letters.   
"Annie what's going on?" Eric asked appearing in the living room moments later, followed by Ruthy.  
Annie didn't reply but handed Eric one of the letters, "Read it out loud Dad." Ruthy urged.  
Eric cleared his throat and began "Dead Mom and Dad, I know it's been awhile since you heard from me. And I'm sorry for any and all pain I have put you through. I can't really explain that part in a letter. You are probably wondering why these babies are sitting on your living room table, and if everything went as planned I was able to sneak in with the same key I used when I lived there leave the babies and sneak off. You are probably thinking I am a terrible father for leaving my children at anyone's house, even if it is my parents. But I want to explain something to you, my life has gone done hill since I left the colonel and Grandma Ruth's. I married a woman named Carrie, more out of a stoned stupor than anything else, and for the first time in a long time I have taken the time to write this when I am not in one. Carrie gave birth to these twins on April 1st making them 2 weeks old to the day. Both were born with a marijuana addiction, they were working the horrible parts of that out when Carrie and I got nervous and disappeared out of the hospital. Carrie thinks I am taking the twins to an adoption agency, even though we have a drug addiction now doesn't mean we don't know what's right for our children. Although I fear that my leaving them here has more to do with me carrying then Carrie wanting them to be left at an adoption agency. I couldn't take them there, I don't know what would happen to them then. Now that I have children to take care of I am divorcing Carrie and I am going to get some help. I don't want you to have to take care of them for their whole lives I just need you to watch them for me while I help myself get straightened out. I love you, and I am unbelievably sorry for everything I have done. I hope that in time you can forgive me. Simon. PS their names are Jessica Kelsey and Jonathan Edward, enclosed you will find their birth certificates."  
"Oh Simon." Annie whispered. "You have come up with the worst timing ever."  
Ruthy stood gaping finally regaining her composure she asked, "Are we going to keep her?"  
"I don't think we have much of a choice, Ruthy." Annie replied.  
"They are twins, like us." Sam said peering over the edge of the blanket at Jonathan.  
The screaming started when Ruthy walked in the living, all ready dressed in a pair of jeans and a pink mock turtleneck. "Who's babies?" Ruthy asked.  
"Simon's." Eric replied still stunned.  
Lucy arched an eyebrow but picked up Jessica who was waking her brother up. Settling Jessica in one crook of her arms she managed to scoop Jonathan up. "You babies are probably starving, aren't you?"  
"Lucy right, who knows how long they have been here." Eric said grabbing his keys. "I'll make a quick run to the store and get bottles, formula, and diapers."  
"Hold up Dad." Lucy said quickly, "I still have Meg's baby bottles, just get formula and diapers for right now. We can get other baby necessities later."   
  
When Eric returned 15 minutes later Annie was waiting by the front door, "They are still screaming?" Eric asked.  
"Yeah." Annie nodded, "But Eric, I think this may be a blessing in disguise, Lucy hasn't had time to worry about Meg. Ruthy snuck out a minute ago and she's gonna go to the hospital to spend some time with Meg, so that she's not alone."  
  
2 months later  
"How are you feeling baby?" Lucy asked walking into Meg's room.  
"Good!" Meg said, "Look what I colored for the babies!"  
"That's a very pretty picture." Lucy said.  
"Put it in your purse." Meg ordered and Lucy tucked the picture safely there.  
"Hey you two." Matt said coming into the hospital room.  
"Uncle Dr. Matt!" Meg giggled.   
"Did Aunt Mary teach you that?" Lucy asked smiling.  
"Yup." Meg giggled again, but suddenly Meg turned solemn, "They took blood today Mommy, when Aunt Mary, and Uncle Wilson were here."  
"What? Why?" Lucy asked looking nervously at Matt.  
"I didn't cry at all Mommy! Nurse Beth even gave me a sticker!" Meg showed her rose sticker proudly.  
"Matt why did they take blood again?" Lucy asked again, "Is something wrong."  
"Nope, nothing is wrong." Matt said cheerfully.  
"Then what's going on?" Lucy snapped.  
"I want Meg out of here!" Matt boomed, "Tomorrow."  
Lucy shrieked and jumped up, "Oh thank God. She's OK right Matt?" Lucy asked when she threw her arms around Matt's neck.  
"Her blood work show's no signs of leukemia in her blood at all." Matt grinned.  
"I'm going home?" Meg asked from her seat on her hospital bed.  
"Yes baby you are. First thing tomorrow morning."  
"But what about my friends here?" Meg asked tearfully, "I'm going to miss them!"  
"But baby you won't feel sick anymore." Lucy said.  
"I know, but I'm still going to miss everybody here!" Meg cried.  
"When you come to visit me at work you can visit everyone here." Matt interrupted.  
Meg thought for a minute and then nodded. 


	6. Telling Robby

"So you guys understand why your mother and I split up right?" Robby asked throwing the basketball to his oldest son.  
"Because you and Mom fought all the time." 7-year-old Gloria replied catching Tim's rebound.  
"That's right." Robby replied.  
"You and Mommy don't love each other anymore?" 4-year-old Stephan asked looking up at Robby.  
"Not in the same way we used to." Robby replied.  
"Do you love us Dada?" 3-year-old Diana asked.  
"Oh baby, just because I don't care for your mother in the same way doesn't mean I care for you any less than I ever have." Robby replied dropping to his knees and pulling his children to him.  
"Whose car is that?" Tim asked when the game resumed minutes later.  
Robby turned away from the hoop and shaded his eyes to block out the sun. A short blonde woman stepped out of the car, a pair of sunglasses his her eyes, and her black pants and white shirt had a wrinkled appearance showing that she had traveled a long way. This was the woman he hadn't seen in over 10 years, but still reminded him of everything he could never have but would give everything for.  
Robby jogged down the driveway, "Lucy? What's happened?"  
Lucy set the sunglasses on her head revealing red eyes. "Robby we need to talk. It's important."  
Robby nodded, "Guys let's head inside, you guys can watch a movie."  
"All right!" Grace screeched, "It's my turn to pick the movie!"  
  
"Can I get you anything?" Robby asked walking around the kitchen as Lucy sat silently, she had practiced the speech on the plane, but it had suddenly disappeared from her brain.  
Lucy just shook her head.  
"Luce something must be really bad if you flew all the way out here. Is it your parents?" When Lucy shook her head Robby continued, "Mary?"  
"Meg." Lucy whispered.  
"Your daughter?" Robby asked.  
Lucy nodded again.  
"Do you guys need a place you stay? If so we have a guest house around back you are welcome to use as long as you need it. I mean you're like a, well Meg's like my niece."  
"That's what I came to talk to you about." Lucy stated her voice cracking.  
"Staying in my guest house?" Robby asked. "You could have called." But deep down Robby knew Lucy wasn't talking about the guest house.   
"Meg's not your niece." Lucy blurted.  
Robby looked shocked, "Luce I know that we left on some bad terms but that doesn't mean I can't think of your daughter as my niece."   
"She's not your niece she's your daughter!" Lucy exclaimed.  
Robby's mouth seemed to try to be forming words, but to no avail. In a sudden burst, when Robby's mouth decided to connect with his mouth he yelled "My what?"  
"You heard me." Lucy responded, she couldn't bring herself to say it again.  
"How could you not tell me? In all these years?" Robby asked, his voice was still raised but more in surprise than anger.  
"You were married! We both agreed that it was a mistake! It didn't mean anything! What was the point of me telling you? All it could have done was ruin your marriage. And there was no way I was going to do that!" Lucy yelled back.  
"Joy and I are over anyway." Lucy was going to tell Robby she was sorry, but he gave her no time, "Why are you telling me this now? You didn't know about Joy and I. Nobody knew."  
"Meg is really sick." Lucy replied her eyes welling with tears. "Her leukemia is back and she needs a bone marrow transplant, and the match is best if they there are siblings."  
Robby's face was stony, no emotion showed.  
"You may hate me forever!" Lucy cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, "But don't punish our daughter for a mistake I made!"  
Robby seemed to come out of any trance he had been in. Dropping quickly to his knees he wrapped his arms around Lucy and held her for a long time. "How will we know if my children match?"  
"A blood test." Lucy replied. "Please at least have them tested. If none of them match you can come back out here and return to your normal life, and forget about me and Meg."  
"Tim and Gloria can take some time off school. Besides they haven't seen your parents since they were out here last." Robby replied.  
  
"Robby I kind of have to warn you about something." Lucy said gripping the steering wheel of her car tightly.  
Robby glanced over at Lucy, her knuckles and face had gone pale, they were finally returning to the neighborhood where the Camden's lived and Lucy looked terrified. "What?"  
"Well you see, all these years, no one except Wilson and Mary have known who Meg's father is."   
"Why didn't you tell them?" Robby asked, fearing that Lucy was ashamed of who Meg's father was.  
"I didn't want to loose all the respect Mom and Dad have for you." Lucy replied quietly.  
"Did you tell them you were coming to get me?" Robby asked, trying to figure out how he was going to explain himself to Annie and Eric.  
"Not exactly. I was in such a rush to leave I didn't want to have to stop and explain it to them. I'm hoping they are going to leave the explaining until later, and not as soon as we walk in the door."  
  
"Mom! Dad! I'm back!" Lucy called.  
"Lucy, that was a short trip." Annie called as she rounded the corner she was bombarded by Robby's four children.  
"Grandma! Grandma!" The kids said hugging Annie in turn.  
"Robby you're…" Annie let her sentence trail.  
"Yes, Mom, Robby is Meg's father. He didn't know either until I told him." Lucy replied.  
Instead of an expression of anger Annie's had a smile on her face, "I'm glad."  
"You're what?" Lucy asked stunned.  
"For some reason that makes me happy." Annie replied.  
  
"Timothy's a match." Matt announced 4 days later. "Now Robby are you sure Timothy's OK with going through with this? Because it's not going to be painless."  
"I want to do it!" Timothy announced walking in on the adults. "She's my sister and I want to help her."  
Timothy, Gloria, Stephan and Diana hit it off perfectly with Meg instantaneously. Meg was confused about something's, like why she had never met her father, but she was happy to have siblings; it had always bummed her out how all her cousins had siblings.  
  
  
Robby and Lucy suited up a week later, they wore hospital garments over their clothes so as not to bring in any germs to infect Meg. When she had the bone marrow transplant they had had to destroy her immune system so it wouldn't attack Timothy's bone marrow.  
Lucy couldn't stand seeing Meg looks so sick all the time, but she figured it would be all worth it in the end. When Meg was out of the hospital for good, thanks to her transplant.   
When Robby and Lucy walked into the ICU hospital room Meg was asleep. Lucy walked quietly over, smoothed Meg's thick curls and kissed her gently on the forehead.  
  
"Lucy get up!" Robby said pounding on Lucy's bedroom door.  
Groggily Lucy jumped out of bed, her bedside clock red 3:45, pulling a robe on Lucy pulled open the door, "What's going on Robby?"  
"The hospital called. Meg's rejecting Tim's bone marrow." Robby rushed the words and then dashed away to wake the kids up.  
  
"Robby why is this happening?" Lucy asked pacing back and forth, "She was supposed to get out soon. She was healing. How can she be rejecting the bone marrow?"  
Robby shook his head; he was wondering the same thing.  
"Lucy! Robby!"   
At the sound of Sara's voice Lucy whipped around, "Sara what's going on? Have you seen Matt?"  
"Yeah, I came with Matt. He told me to tell you that just because she's going through rejection right now doesn't mean that the bone marrow will quit working."  
"Is Meg going to be OK?" A bleary eyed Diana asked wandering over to her father.  
"Meg is going to be fine." Robby reassured his youngest daughter scooping her into his arms.  
  
"I've spent to much time in this waiting room, trying to be patient while I wait to find out if my daughter is going to be all right." Lucy spoke for the first time in half an hour.  
"She is going to be all right." Robby replied fiercely.  
"How do you know?" Lucy asked bitterly.  
"Because I said so." Matt stated.  
"She's going to be all right?" Lucy asked tears coming to her eyes.  
"We had to change her anit-rejection medicine around, and pump her full of a lot of medicine. But she's fine. She wants to see both of you."  
  
"How are you feeling Meg?" Lucy asked rushing into the hospital room with Robby.  
"I know it's a total cliché." Meg gasped around the oxygen, "But like a bus ran over me.   
"You look good to me." Robby smiled kissing his newly found daughter on the forehead.  
"Yeah, and you have your hair this time." Lucy smiled. "And it's a new beginning."  
  
4 months later  
"Where is everybody?" Robby asked wandering down the stairs at Lucy's house his tux perfectly pressed.  
"They are all over at Mary's." Lucy replied smoothing her gown.  
"Do we have time before we have to be at the church?" Robby asked, "Because we have to talk."  
Lucy glanced at the clock, "Yeah, we have about an hour. What did you have in mind?"  
Both Lucy and Robby took a seat before Robby began talking, "School starts in a week."  
Lucy nodded, "I know, Meg is so happy she will be able to start school on time."  
"Yeah I know. But I need to go back to New York. Tim, Gloria and Stephan need to start school on time too."  
"But Robby…" Lucy said searching for a reason that would make him stay.  
"And we need to talk about Meg. Now that I know she exists I want to see her as much as possible." Robby said fiddling with the toast he had made himself.  
"I know. She can come visit occasionally." Lucy replied.  
"Good." Robby replied and then sighed when he dropped an edge his jellied toast on his white shirt.  
"Robby." Lucy moaned walking over to him running a napkin under water she wiped at the jelly. "Just put the vest on over it…" Lucy's words trailed as she looked into Robby's deep eyes.  
  
"Lucy look at me." Robby whispered as Lucy carefully pulled on her dress hoping not to wrinkle it more.  
Lucy gulped and turned around ready to tell Robby it had been a mistake. "Lucy marry me." Robby whispered.  
"Robby…." Lucy whispered "If this is because you're afraid you knocked me up again…"  
"It has nothing to do with that Lucy, I've loved you since that night Meg was conceived."  
"So have I." Lucy whispered.  
"But you said…" Robby let his sentence trail.  
"Yeah we made a mistake. But it is my favorite mistake." Lucy smiled, "And yes I'll marry you." 


End file.
